There are at least two different approaches to distributing digital content: content download and content streaming. In general terms content download can be thought of as transferring digital content stored in a first device to a second device in which the transferred digital content is to be stored. Content downloading can encompass both a “push” and a “pull” approach to transferring the digital content from the first device to the second device. For example, digital content stored in the first device can be “pushed” by the first device to the second device in that it is the first device that initiates the transfer of the digital content. Alternatively, digital content stored in the first device can be pulled from the first device to the second device in that it is the second device that initiates the transfer of the digital content from the first device to the second device. Either push or pull can be achieved through regular download (HTTP-based etc.) or through progressive download technologies (i.e., start playing while downloading the content). In any case, once the digital content is received at the second device, the digital content is stored locally and persistently at the second device. In this way, the digital content stored in the second device can be moved from one digital device to another (totally under a user control) and user privacy is preserved (e.g. in the case of adult content) and so on.
However, one drawback lies in the fact that content providers (e.g. Hollywood studios, etc.) require a strong security level to counter pirates' attempts to ‘copy the content’ thereby limiting the content portability. This is typically where Digital Rights Management (DRM) technologies intervene with the definition of Rights Objects (RO) aimed at limiting the content usage/copy. DRM ROs are typically linked to a dedicated hardware solution such as TrustedFlash™ memory device manufactured by SanDisk Corporation of Milpitas, Calif. Such hardware solutions allow a user to securely store the ROs on a removable media (e.g. SD storage device), in an attempt to provide true content and RO portability. In practice, however, portability is not achieved because ROs are DRM-scheme dependent and with the absence of a fully adopted DRM standard, full portability becomes limited only to those digital media players (or host platforms) supporting the corresponding DRM technology.
Content streaming can be implemented through a small number of industry standardized protocols (e.g. RTSP/RTP etc.), however, the content can not be persistently stored locally since a user can only access the content if he/she obtains network connectivity to the streaming server. One of the benefits of this approach is the fact that wide content access is ensured to those players compatible with the supported streaming protocol (i.e. most legacy players utilize standard RTSP/RTP). Since content providers have lighter security requirements there is little or no risk of content copying other than ‘sniffing and recording’ content that goes through the streaming interface. This is particularly true in mobile devices where constrained environments and often-closed operating systems constitute significant obstacles to potential pirates which is not the case for personal computers where recording the unprotected streams can be done quite easily through widely available tools.
Such risks can be partly removed by standard service-level protection such as the creation of a secure communication channel through mutual authentication between the streaming client and server (which may or may not be perceived as necessary in mobile systems). However, one of the drawbacks to this approach is the fact that full portability (where the user controls the content purchased) can not be implemented since only connected devices can access the content (since in the absence of connectivity there is no access to the streaming server). Furthermore, this lack of portability restricts available business models. In addition, privacy can be compromised since the service provider knows the user preferences and usage.
Therefore, a method, system, and apparatus that provides a solution for content distribution and consumption that would provide the advantages of the push/pull approach where content can be locally stored under user control while concurrently having the widest acceptance by legacy players/platforms (i.e. no need to perform complex software integration) while still remaining compatible with ‘state of the art security’ in order to satisfy content provider requirements is highly desirable.